First Advisor

McConnell, Christine

First Committee Member

Kirshner, Jean

Second Committee Member

Gambrell, James

Third Committee Member

Vogel, Linda

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Document Type

Dissertation

Date Created

8-2025

Department

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Teacher Education, Teacher Education Student Work

Abstract

The purpose of this educational criticism study is to describe the experiences of burnout for four teachers in a western state school district. To represent and illustrate these experiences, Eisner’s methodology, educational connoisseurship and criticism, was utilized. Three research questions guided this study; How do teachers describe experiences of burnout?; How do teachers describe the impact of curriculum on burnout?; How do teachers perceive burnout impacts their instruction and interactions with students? Data for this study was collected on the four participants through a one-on-one interview, two focus groups, two classroom observations, and artifacts and analyzed using emotions and values coding, as well as annotations. The findings of this study revealed teachers’ reasons for burnout and those impacts, including lack of work/life balance, challenging student behavior, and lack of administrator support. The importance of teacher autonomy and teacher voice in decision making was also revealed. The results further indicated a distinction between teachers’ perceptions of how their burnout impacts their teaching opposed to the reality of their impact. Finally, this study provides implications for making the teacher profession more sustainable.

Abstract Format

html

Places

Greeley, Colorado

Extent

143 pages

Local Identifiers

Laurx_unco_0161D_11346.pdf

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

Digital Origin

Born digital

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